


All I Ask

by Navygoldstars



Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff and Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-14
Updated: 2020-04-14
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:21:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,256
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23647633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Navygoldstars/pseuds/Navygoldstars
Summary: Alex and Max have a conversation in the past. Alex and Michael have a conversation in the future.
Relationships: Michael Guerin/Alex Manes
Comments: 2
Kudos: 89





	All I Ask

**Author's Note:**

> Alex not being able to say goodbye to Michael spawned this! Also, the fact that Max kind of knew about them in 1x07? And the fact that Alex asked Michael what he would do if he asked him to leave Roswell in 2x01? I feel like reuniting across time is such a theme for them <3 
> 
> Title from Adele's "All I Ask."

Alex stood in front of the Max Evans’ house. He felt completely naked. No more eyeliner or nail polish or nose ring. He pushed away the hair that fell in front of his eyes. Now that he wasn’t using gel to spike it up, it would be an issue he would have to stuff under a camouflage hat. You literally had to strip down for basic training and he didn’t want a reason to stand out in a crowd. Still, it would be an adjustment.

He raised his hand to knock at the door and paused. This was silly. He could knock on a door. He had joined the Air Force, hadn’t he? That took courage. He wanted to be a braver person and that started now. He just had to say the words “ _Do you want to leave Roswell with me?”_

He felt butterflies in his stomach like he always did when he was about to see Michael. Yet, there was a possibility this was goodbye. It made his stomach twist in knots.

Maybe staying in Roswell was making Michael feel just as helpless as Alex felt. He supposed the petty crimes were acting out and he couldn’t blame him. Michael had been through hell and Alex felt in his bones that something had changed. He just wished he would tell him what had. Beyond what they had been through with his Dad, which Alex still burned with guilt for, he felt Michael was hiding something from him. Regardless, Michael was a good person and he deserved to be happy. If they left together, maybe they could heal together.

He pushed down his nerves and swallowed. Before he could rap the door, it swung open unexpectedly and Max Evans appeared, hair damp like he had just showered. His signature baseball cap was gone as was his baseball tee. He was wearing a collared shirt, dark brown slacks with a belt and holding a beige cowboy hat in his hand.

“Woah, hey Alex, I was just heading out.” Max briefly locked his door and turned back to Alex’s questioning look. “Police academy official uniform. Looks like you’re in uniform, too?”

Alex was wearing the uniform but wasn’t quite ready to wear the hat that came with it. _Baby steps._

“Yeah, I’m leaving today actually. My basic starts tomorrow. I just wanted to know if you had seen Michael by any chance? Isobel sent me your way.”

Max’s expression was equal parts hesitant and guilty.

“I’m sorry to tell you this Alex but he’s in jail.”

“Why? Is everything okay?” Irrationally, an image of his Dad popped into his head.

“Yeah, he’s fine. He...” Max sighed deeply and spilled out the rest “stole the hubcaps off of Kyle Valenti’s car. I was just going to see him actually. Try to bail him out. Do you want to come with me?”

Alex was felt like the wind had been knocked out of him. He wouldn’t be able to ask Michael anything. Worse, he wouldn’t be able to say goodbye at all.

“Actually, I--I have to go.” It was the truth but it was a cold comfort.

Max nodded sympathetically “Is there anything you want me to tell him? A forwarding address? I know you guys are friends.”

Oh, Alex had so much to say to Michael, he could burst. _Tell him I love him. I love him so much. Tell him to run away with me. Bail him out and send him to me where he belongs. Tell him I’m sorry for everything. Tell him I don’t want him to feel alone but it’s so hard to stay right now. Tell him no one has ever loved me like he has and I’m not sure if anyone will again. Tell him I will never love anyone so much as I love him. Please tell him I love him even when I’m not with him and I will think of him every single day._

Alex inhaled and exhaled, blinking back tears. His mouth twitched into a sad smile. _Friends._ It would be hollow to say anything to Max. He didn’t think he could bear to see Michael behind bars and not feel partially responsible that he was there. 

“No, that’s okay, Max.” he nodded and tapped his uniform cap against his thigh. “I’ll just have to catch up with him when I come back to Roswell. Or you know, maybe he’ll take that UNM scholarship after all.”

Max looked down at the ground and back up at Alex, as if seeing him in a new light. “I hope so, Alex. Good luck with everything.”

Something in Max’s eyes reminded Alex of Michael. Like they were carrying a heavy burden.

Alex waved and took concentrated, steady steps towards his car. He drove into town. As he passed the police station, he clutched the wheel until his knuckles turned white and sped up.

_Goodbye, Roswell. Goodbye, Michael._ It took everything he had not to turn the car around.

**_\---Years Later---_ **

“I have a question for you.” Alex put down the guitar on the couch, rubbing the pads of his fingers and feeling the indents where the strings had been.

Michael looks up from his stack of schematics, curly hair in disarray with a pencil tucked behind his right ear. He was fully focused on Alex. 

“Do you want to leave Roswell with me?” Michael stared at him, speechless. Maybe he should give more context. He grabbed his forearm clutch to stand. Michael was in front of him in a flash, his calloused fingers reaching out to Alex’s hips to bring him closer. Alex draped his arms over Michael’s shoulders.

“Like—”

“There’s this music festival in California—”

Michael grinned at him and leaned forward to pepper him with kisses on the cheek. He gently cupped Alex’s face before gracing him with a kiss on the mouth.

“Dammit Alex, how do you always beat me to the punch?” He looked at him fondly. Alex furrowed his brows.

This had been such a change for them but a welcome one. After everything that happened with Project Shepard, resurrecting Max, independently sorting out their relationships with Maria and solidifying their own relationship, it truly felt like Michael had said all those years ago. _Cosmic_. 

Michael guided him to back to where the schematics were splayed across the table and held up a design. Alex had seen it before, unfinished. But now, it looked like a detailed work of art. This wasn’t just a drawing. It was a plan. There were equations and scribblings on the sides. Michael cleared his throat.

“Do you want to leave Earth with me?” This time Alex was speechless. Michael took that as a sign to continue “I decided to use my Mom’s design, see? It means that there would be more space. Multiple people could technically board but I don’t really want Max and Liz to come the first time, you know? It would just be too much—” Alex cupped the back of Michael’s neck and drew him in for a kiss, long and slow. Surprisingly, Michael broke it for air.

“And me asking you to leave Roswell was beating you to the punch, huh?” Alex murmured.

“Well, if my genius is going to encourage this type of behavior, I should show it more often.”

“You’re brilliant. You’re the smartest husband I have.” Michael nipped at Alex’s lip in reprimand, muttering _only husband_ under his breath. Alex burst out laughing. “When do we leave?”

Michael smiled, eyes glinting mischievously.


End file.
